Siliguri, 02nd June: Traffic decongestion measures introduced to reduce congestion around Siliguri Junction triggered confusion among e-rickshaw drivers on Monday, leading to protests and unrest in the area.
As part of efforts to ease traffic pressure on the main road in the Siliguri Junction area, authorities have directed e-rickshaws to use the service lane between the SNT Bus Stand and the Mallaguri Hanuman Mandir instead of a section of Hill Cart Road. According to police, the move is aimed at reducing congestion and ensuring smoother movement of vehicles in the busy junction area.
However, after police announcements through microphones, many e-rickshaw drivers reportedly believed that even registered e-rickshaws would no longer be allowed to operate on Hill Cart Road. The misunderstanding led to protests by several drivers, who expressed concern over the decision.
Authorities have also implemented another measure to reduce traffic congestion by stopping the boarding and deboarding of passengers on Kolkata-bound buses along Hill Cart Road. Such buses are now required to use the private bus stand near the junction for passenger movement. Officials believe the decision will help reduce traffic bottlenecks caused by buses halting on the roadside.
Meanwhile, a group of youths, including some e-rickshaw drivers, reportedly gathered outside the residence of Minister and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh on Tuesday. Local sources said there is usually no permanent police deployment outside the residence, leading to discussions in some quarters over possible political motivations behind the gathering.
It may be recalled that Minister Shankar Ghosh had recently stated that many families in Siliguri depend on e-rickshaws for their livelihood and that there was no plan to abruptly stop their operation. He said efforts were being made to balance traffic management requirements with the livelihood concerns of e-rickshaw drivers.